Syria Simulation Workshop - 2013 WHAT Conference
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Playing Games to Teach Complex Conflicts
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For a complete list of presentation references, check out: http://sites.stedwards.edu/syriasimulation/project-references/ This presentation focused on a pilot-test of a simulation that we are running at St. Edward's University to help students learn about the conflict in Syria. I've been working history faculty members Mity Myhr, Selin Guner, Christopher Mickelwait and Christie Wilson to pull together an experiential workshop for students in Cultural Foundations courses around the topic of the Syria conflict. Our goal for this is to provide an experiential space in which students can learn about the complexities of this conflict by role-playing actors and agencies involved in the conflict. These represent entities such as the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in addition to countries like Turkey in addition to Iran, Russia and the Western Powers. On April 22, 2013, student groups will role-play these actors and non-actors in a game-like fashion in which they will be given choices of actions to play across a period of 6 game rounds. Each round will be prefaced by a description of one or more critical events, and students will be asked to make decisions about how to respond. Play will be divided into 3 phases–Research, Action and Voting. Students will be asked to research the event and the actions they can take prior to taking action, and non-actors will be asked to cast votes of Confidence or Contempt for these actions. Actions will generate scores across dimensions including casualty rates and refugee counts and groups will be presented with a “Win” condition to promote peacemaking in the region. We successfully pilot-tested this design at a recent World History Association of Texas conference and are looking forward to fleshing out this work for the full event in mid-April.
Transcript of Syria Simulation Workshop - 2013 WHAT Conference
Playing Games to Teach Complex Conflicts
• Jason Rosenblum: ITEC, UNPG & SMBX
• Mity Myhr: BSSX
• Christie Wilson: BSSX
• Selin Guner: BSSX • Christopher Micklethwait: UNPG
• Knowledge Building
• Social Responsibility • Intercultural Competencies
• Experiential Engagement
• Analysis of the Roles/Goals of Internal and External Actors
• Analysis of Factors that Promote Conflict or Peacemaking
• Understand Influence of Resources and Shifting Alliances
• Understand Complexity of Choices and Appreciate Consequences
• Appreciate Value of Corroboration/Cooperation in Achieving Goals
Game-‐like simulation + Role-‐play + Conflict
• equates live simulation games with a constructivist, experiential learning approach (Kolb, 1984)
• Supply Chain Example -‐ beer game: http://www.beergame.org/
• teamwork, concrete experiences & reflexive activities
Kolb, David. (1984). Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development: Prentice-‐Hall.
Malave, C.; Figueiredo, R. (2002). Practicing active and cooperative learning using live simulation games in the classroom. Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Education. Aug 18-‐21. Manchester, U.K.
• affective, cognitive, behavioral dimensions of attitude
• studied in the simulation: Culture and Creed
• MIT-‐based game/simulation can affect attitudes towards international conflict.
• Affects perspectives in moving from competition to cooperation.
Williams, A.; Williams, R. (2011). Multiple Identification Theory: Attitude and Behavior Change in a Simulated International Conflict. Simulation & Gaming 42(6). 733-‐747.
Role play in education resources http://www.rpg-‐mmorpg.com/vl/role-‐play_education.php
Model UN – getting started: http://www.unausa.org/global-‐classrooms-‐model-‐un/how-‐to-‐participate
Crossley-‐Frolick, Katy. (2010). Beyond Model UN: Simulating Multi-‐Level, Multi-‐Actor Diplomacy Using the Millennium Development Goals. International Studies Perspectives. 11, 184–201
Rich tradition of role-‐play to support learning. Simkins, David. (2011). Negotiation, simulation, and shared fantasy: Learning through live action
role play. ProQuest Dissertation. See Chapter 4 – History of role-‐play as a tool for learning. pp 68 – 77.
• Peacemaker used in dispute resolution classes • Individual and group-‐based work • Key findings:
• Role reversal leads to empathy • Ladder of inference from reactions based on data as
a result of decisions made. • Two-‐level diplomacy to gain approval from national
interests and domestic groups.
Goodrich, K.; Schneider, A. (2010). The Classroom Can Be All Fun and Games. Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution. 25(1). 87-‐103
• Syria Simulation based on Peacemaker, except: Syria as setting; live role-‐play of Actors & Non-‐Actors
• Supported by SEU's own Peacemaker pilot & Goodrich & Schneider (2010)
• Want students to build empathy through non-‐Western POV's & (for some) morally oppositional stances.
• Make decisions based on outcomes following each round: re: casualty counts, # refugees fleeing, etc.
• Balance approval ratings from multiple non-‐actors
• giving them a “win” scenario in which no one player can actually win, except through cooperation.
• BUT they need to garner approval from multiple non-‐actors, including the UN general assembly
• we predict most actions will result in a split along ideological lines in character profiles.
• In theory there is a way to win through cooperation, but in practice this is unlikely, thus mirroring the setup of the real life conflict.
Bogost, Ian. (2007). Persuasive Games -‐ The Expressive Power of Videogames: The MIT Press.
Phase I : Research • Read profiles & materials • Consider event Phase II : Action • Review options, discuss & choose action • Group presents & discusses their choice. Phase III : Voting by Non-‐Actors
